


This Town And That Town

by Estirose



Series: Alyssa [3]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Background Relationships, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 18:03:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7325140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estirose/pseuds/Estirose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harvey is the only person on the bus when it happens and must tend to an injured, concussed Pam.</p><p>(Brief mentions/appearance of Maru and her wife Alyssa, some swearing on Pam's end.)</p><p>For HC_Bingo, prompt "vehicle crash". Slightly revised from the original version.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Town And That Town

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to research concussions since Harvey is a doctor and I am not. 
> 
> Also, any weird spellings/contractions in Pam's dialogue are due to Pam being concussed. This is technically part of my Alyssa storyline since she shows up, but the focus is mostly on Pam and Harvey.

Harvey was thrown forward in his seat when the bus to the Calico Desert stopped abruptly, only avoiding being thrown from his seat thanks to the seatbelt he was wearing. "What the-" he asked, but he realized in horror that they had to have collided with something. The front windshield was intact, but Pam was slumped unconscious. and Harvey clumsily undid his own seatbelt before sprinting forward to check on her. At least he was the only person on the bus - he could focus on her and then worry about everything else.

Pam's pulse was still strong, and Harvey was thankful for that. His own heart was pounding at the idea that she could have died. There was a good chance of a concussion and wiplash, but his main concern was making sure she was all right for the moment. He wondered if she'd gotten a little too much to drink at the saloon the previous night, or if Pam just had incredibly bad luck. He peered out the windshield, and he found himself shaking as he saw the car blocking both lanes, smoke rising from the front. Pam was not the only patient he'd be dealing with that morning. Taking a deep breath, he looked over at Pam. The other driver needed him more than she did, as far as he could tell.

"I'll be right back, Pam," he said, trying to sound confident, and then tried to open the doors. The doors were stuck tight, and for a moment he wondered if he'd have to use one of the emergency exit windows. But after that moment, the doors opened, and he wondered if he just hadn't pushed hard enough.

For a moment, he wished his nurse, Maru, was there. She shouldn't be too far, he realized after he took a few deep breaths. He had to think clearly! Once he made sure that neither car nor bus was going to explode and nobody was going to die, he could haul himself back to Pelican Town. The farm that Maru shared with her wife was not far from the bus stop, and Maru wasn't working for him today. He just hoped she wasn't visiting her parents. Of course, maybe her wife Alyssa was at the farm.

The car was still smoking. The other driver was also female, brown hair, slumped over the driver's seat. Harvey gingerly reached in through the broken windshield and felt for her pulse, realizing with sick certainty that she was dead. He took another few deep breaths. The car could still explode, and Pam's safety had to take priority. While he didn't want to move her unless he had to, he didn't know enough about cars to know if it was safe to leave her where she was, either. 

Pam was groaning as he stepped inside. "What happn'd?" she asked, looking vaguely around as if not sure where she was. It wasn't a good sign, and Harvey peered at her, trying to figure out if she was suffering from anything other than a concussion.

"A car hit us. I'll get medical help as soon as I can, Pam." He hoped she could follow. He tried to sound confident for her, but it was hard. Treating a concussion after an auto accident was nothing like treating a certain farmer who insisted on visiting dangerous mines. 

His driver laughed, which both relieved him and made him worry. He wished he had his kit. "Probably comin' for us. Bet you could hear that crash all the way back to the trailer."

She was right, he realized, hoping his own pulse would calm down soon. Maru or Alyssa had probably heard. "I'm sure Maru's coming, then. Do you feel like you can move?"

Pam half-rose, and then sat down again. "'s a no." She settled back in the driver's seat, squinting at the road ahead. Another not so good sign, Harvey worriedly though. "Should have pushed Penny more towards the girl."

"Maru?" They were friends, yes, but he hadn't known they were romantically interested in one another. He wanted to laugh, but he had to concentrate on Pam and figuring how to get her to safety. At least the car didn't seem to be exploding. He hoped.

"Alyssa." Pam closed her eyes. "She fuckin' gets things done. Din't think about hooking Penny up with 'nother girl." She opened her eyes briefly. "Any help yet?"

"I'm sure it's coming." Once people figured out that something had happened. Hopefully soon. The sooner he could get Pam to his office, the better he'd feel.

"My head hurts." Pam shook it.

"Stay still, you don't know how badly you're injured." He put a hand gently on Pam's shoulder. Stay calm, he reminded himself. "Did you have this headache before?" He hoped she didn't think he was going to lecture her about her drinking.

"To'k asprin long before I got on." Pam reached down in the direction of her purse. "Should ha'e some."

"I have something that should be safe." Not all painkillers were safe for concussions, he knew, and at least he had something that he was pretty sure she could take.

"Water bottle's by m'legs." She shrugged a shoulder in that direction.

He got out the painkiller and managed to snag Pam's water bottle. "Here you go." He carefully gave her the painkiller and the aspirin. "Don't try to move too much, okay?"

Pam was sensible enough not to. "Talk t' me, doc. Don't get too essateric on me - I know big words."

"Then let's talk the war." It was a safe enough topic that she had some interest in.

"Yah, sounds good." She gave him a wavery smile.

They talked until Harvey heard the rumble of something coming up from behind. He peeked out the door, sighing in relief as he saw Maru - and was that a mine cart she was in, with Alyssa pushing it? Maru looked panicked, as did Alyssa, though he also suspected the farmer was tired, given how far she'd had to push.

"Doctor," Maru said when she caught up with him. "Is everything-"

"We figured something had happened to the bus," Alyssa said, speaking fast. "The fastest way we could get here was by minecart. Is everybody okay?"

A minecart was better than nothing, he realized. "Pam is injured. We should get her to the clinic immediately. There's... nothing I can do for the other driver." He looked over at Alyssa. "I'd like to get Pam out of here before...." He didn't have to be confident around Maru, at least, nor Alyssa.

Maru closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. I guess... we could.... the other driver, are you sure?" 

"She's very dead." He took a deep breath. "We can notify authorities when we get back, but I really need to move Pam." He really needed to get out of there. To breathe. 

"Fuck'n dead," Pam added.

"Maru, did you perhaps...." He couldn't even finish the sentence before Alyssa took a dive into the minecart, banging into the bottom. After a moment, Harvey's bag was held aloft, and Maru grabbed it, rushing over to Harvey. 

Working together, with Maru, Harvey felt his confidence seep back. Full examination would have to wait until they got home and he could check for a skull fracture in a place that was set up for taking care of one. Maybe also check on Alyssa after that, he absently noted. She might have hit her head too.

He didn't really want to stuff her into a minecart, but that would get her back to Pelican Town faster than trying to carry her. "Pam, we're going to put you into the minecart, okay?"

"Gues' y'can." She seemed to be fading, and Harvey prayed to Yoba that she would make it back home. She closed her eyes. Harvey threw one worried, sorrowful look at the other driver, wishing that he'd been able to do something for them, as well.

There was only one thing he could really do at the moment, for his living patient. He helped Alyssa out of the cart and Pam gently into it. "Keep talking, Pam," he told his patient, and she did as Maru and Alyssa pushed them back home.


End file.
